Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Rescued animals refers to:
native wildlife rescued from the wild:
amphibians
birds
mammals
reptiles.
OHS risks when working with animals may include:
animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches and crush injuries
biological hazardous waste and sharps disposal
handling of chemicals and medicines
inhalation of aerosol particles
intraocular contamination
manual handling, including carrying, lifting and shifting
needle pricks and cuts from other sharps
release of infective agents (animal and human)
slippery or uneven work surfaces
zoonoses.
Personal protective equipment may include:
animal handling gauntlets
boots
gloves
hessian bags to wrap around arm
long-sleeved and legged clothing
safety goggles.
Disease control procedures may include:
appropriate reprocessing of reusable equipment
aseptic technique
environmental controls (e.g. design and maintenance of premises and cleaning)
isolation/cohorting
personal hygiene practices especially washing and drying hands (e.g. before and after animal contact)
safe handling and disposal of sharps and other clinical, related and general waste
surface cleaning and management of blood and body fluid spills
techniques to limit contamination
use of personal protective equipment.
Initial animal emergency care may include:
clearing animal's mouth and nose to assist breathing
applying pressure bandages to stem external bleeding
supporting bandages to immobilise fractures
observing injuries
treating dehydration
providing warmth and comfort for shock.
Seriously injured may include:
bleeding
evidence of poisoning or pain
missing fur or skin
obvious head injury
paralysis
puncture wounds
seizures
visible limb or wing fractures
visible trauma and/or bruising.
Information may include:
exact location where animals were found
date and time of collection
presence of other animals
known circumstances
conditions including weather
human activities in the area.
Problems associated with animal care and orphan rearing procedures may include:
behavioural changes
changes in urine or bowel movements
feeding problems
humanisation
loss of weight
malnutrition
parasitism
poor animal husbandry practices
poor nutrition standards
stress-induced conditions
trauma.
Captive diet considerations will include:
ensure captive diet is similar to the natural diet for the species to:
minimise the impact of captivity
stimulate normal digestive function
provide suitable quantity and appropriate quality of food and water for the particular species in care to ensure:
maximum potential for healing and recovery from wounds and injuries
growth of young animals
maximum development of natural survival techniques
seek advice from knowledgeable person when caring for a species unfamiliar to the carer.
Common problems experienced by rescued animals may include:
age-related health conditions
bloat
changes in behaviour
changes in urine and bowel movements
cloacal prolapse
dehydration
discharges
feeding problems, including milk aspiration and decreased appetite
fight injuries
fur loss
general ill health
heat stress
humanisation
lethargy
loss of weight
malnutrition
parasitic burdens
stooped position
stress
trauma
zoonotic and other diseases.
Recovery procedures may include:
24-hour care for young animals
accessing veterinary care and administering medication as directed
applying relevant husbandry standards to ensure pathogens are not contracted
cleaning eyes
dressing wounds
feeding and hydrating
integrating with other same-species animals
minimising stress
providing warmth
releasing animals to the natural environment if permitted by relevant legislation
removing domestic animals from wild animals' presence.
Facilities and organisations involved in animal rehabilitation may include:
animal shelters
captive animal government bodies
fauna parks
independent bodies
volunteer groups/individuals.
Processes may include:
recording data:
animals' weight
estimated age and sex
location where found
history of animal care, if applicable
in the case of deceased animals processes may include:
following recommended industry guidelines for necropsy requirements
labelling and recording the circumstances of death.
Documentation in relation to rescued wildlife that must be maintained includes:
individual animal identification where possible
health history if applicable
reports to relevant government departments of species of threatened wildlife or unusual animals held
approval of shelter operators for any release of rehabilitated wildlife
yearly returns to relevant state or territory bodies detailing the survival of all wildlife held.
Options for release considerations may include:
animals readiness for release:
age, sex and health status of animal
ability to establish a home range
need for social interaction
availability of suitable release site
other habitat considerations (e.g. current stock density, availability of natural food and water)
practicality of releasing animals into the area where they were originally found.
suitable media

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
identify and handle native wildlife correctly and humanely
provide care for rescued native animals
develop and implement rehabilitation programs for native animals in consultation with relevant people and organisations
prepare animals for post-rehabilitation life
maintain accurate records.

The skills and knowledge required to rehabilitate native wildlife must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a captive animal workplace or an environment that reproduces normal work conditions.

There must be access in either situation to rescued native wildlife requiring rehabilitation as well as the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:
written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
third-party evidence
workplace documentation
portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).